Electrically operated clock



April 1937- J. ANDRES Y HERNANDEZ 2,077,755

ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CLOCK Filed Aug. 9, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill; m J Llllllll IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII April 20, 1937. J. ANDRES Y HERNANDEZ 2,077,755

ELEGTRICALLY OPERATED CLOCK FiledAug. 9, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 20, 1937. J. ANDRES Y HERNANDEZ 7 ELECTRICALLY OPERATED CLOCK Filed Aug. 9, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIE 4 Claims.

This invention is directed to electrically operated clocks and more particularly to means cooperating with the clock mechanism for sounding a bell or other indicator in accord with the hour indicated by the clock hands.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of simplified mechanism for controlling the ringing of the hour, and involving an element which directly controls the hour signal and which is normally held inoperative, together with mechanism which will release the element to the driving influence of a continuously operated member for a predetermined period to. sound a predetermined number of hour signals, with the element, following the cessation of the hour signals, returned to normal position free of engagement with the continuously operated member.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in edge elevation illustrating more particularly the details of the improved hour signal or sounding mechanism.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation, the signal governing element being shown in inoperative position.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the signal governing element in operative position.

Figure 4 is a front elevation showing the parts immediately preceding the inauguration of an hour signal and in the relation corresponding to 0 that of the parts on the rear frame plate shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the signal operating mechanism on the face plate in position occupied immediately preceding the i inauguration of the signal.

Figure 6 is a similar view showing the parts in the positions occupied during the sounding of the signal.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the holding lever for the signal governing element.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the weight arm for cooperation with the holding lever and for operating an element of the control mechanism.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the feeding trip for determining the limit and thereby the num ber of the hour signals.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the release member for releasing and resetting the holding lever.

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a control lever for operating the release member and for temporarily holding the controlling element in inoperative position following the operation of the r holding lever to release said element.

0 Figure 12 is a perspective view of the governing element with the signal sounding pinion carried thereby.

The present improvement is directed more particularly to a simplified means for controlling the sounding of the respective hours in an electrically driven clock and it is to be understood that no attempt is made to describe the actual clock operating mechanism for the control and operation of the hands except insofar as such may be necessary for an understanding of the improvement.

The mechanism includes the conventional front and rear plates l and 2 held in fixed relation by conventional spacing elements 3 designed as usual to support the clock mechanism. Mounted upon the rear plate 2, preferably at the upper end thereof, is a synchronized motor 4, to the motor shaft 5 of which is removably secured an arm 6 extending at right angles to the shaft and provided at its free end with a rod 1 which extends beyond the arm in one direction, as at 8, and terminally shaped to provide a pawl-like terminal 9 fixed with respect to the rod 7 and hereinafter referred to as a fixed pawl.

The rod 1 extends in the opposite direction beyond the arm 6, as at iii, and is terminally positioned between the radial spokes ll of a skeleton gear wheel l2 loosely rotating on a stub shaft l3 projecting inwardly from the front plate I of the frame. A shaft I4 is rotatably supported in the plates I and 2 and on this shaft adjacent the plate 2 and in the path of movement of the fixed pawl 9 is a gear l5.

As the motor 4 is designed to make one complete revolution per minute, a similarly timed cycle is imparted to the arm 6 and during each cycle of the arm, the fixed pawl 23 will engage the teeth of the gear l5 and advance said gear one tooth. Of course, the gear [2 is rotating continuously in synchronism with the motor.

The shaft M may constitute the shaft for the hour hand and on this shaft, in advance or in front of the plate I, is a pinion 56 which rotates in synchronism with the gear l5 and the arrangement is such that the pinion rotates once each hour. The pinion it operates through pinions l1, l8 and I9 to actuate a snail cam 2a through a full revolution each twelve hours of clock time.

A signal governing element 2!, shown in detail in Figure 12, is mounted for rotary oscillation on the shaft 22 supported in the plates l and 2, the element being fixed to the shaft by an appropriate set-screw and preferably arranged closely adjacent the inner surface of the front plate l of the frame. The element comprises spaced arms 23 and 24 between which, near their ends remote from the shaft 22, is mounted a signal operating gear provided near the periphery with a series of pins 26 arranged in a plane concentric with the periphery of the gear and extending parallel to the axis thereof. The shaft supporting gear is provided with a spring 21 to prevent overrunning of the gear.

The mounting of the governing element 2| is such that the gear 25 is in direct alignment with the gear l2, so that on movement of the element 2| in one direction, the gears l2 and 25 will be in driving cooperation. A rod 28 extends from the section 23 of the element 2| toward and beyond the rear plate 2, as shown more particularly in Figure 1.

Swingingly supported on a stub shaft 28 projecting from the rear wall 2 is a holding lever 38 on which is secured an arm. 3| for engaging the rod 28 and holding the governing element in inoperative position, as will later appear. The arm 3| is pivoted to the lever 30 at 32 and has a screw stud and slot connection at 33 with the lever 30 to provide for properly positioning the arm.

A shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in the plates i and 2 and extends in both directions beyond said plates. Beyond the plate 2, the shaft 34 is provided with a weight arm 35, the free end of which carries an adjustable weight 36 and which weight arm extends between pins 31 and 38 on the free end of the holding lever 38. Thus, as the weight arm moves upwardly or downwardly, there is a corresponding swinging movement of the lever 38 and a corresponding upward or downward movement of the free end of the arm 3|.

As previously stated, this arm underlies the rod 28 of the governing element 2| and when the lever 30 is in its operative position toward the right, that is, the position shown in Figure 2, the end of the arm 3| will engage beneath the rod 28 and hold the governing element 2| in such position that the gears I2 and 25 will be free of engagement. If the lever 30 is permitted to swing to its opposite position, that is, towards the left as shown in Figure 3, the arm 3| will be removed from contact with the rod 28 and the governing element 2| will be free of any holding influence so far as the arm 3| is concerned.

The weight arm is fixed to one end of the shaft 34, as previously stated, and on that end of the shaft 34 extending forwardly of the front plate I is a release trip 38 of S-form having a pointed free end 48. Supported on the face of the plate I is a control lever 4|. This lever is of T-form having an arm 42 designed to be engaged by the conventional trip pin 43 projecting from the gear l6 and a laterally extending arm 44 which has an angled end 45 designed for cooperation with a pin 46 extending forwardly from the governing element 2|.

A rack carrying arm 52 is pivotally supported at 53 on the face of the plate I. This arm terminally carries a rack bar 54 having teeth 55 on one edge and is further provided intermediate its ends with a projection 56 which overlies and rides on the surface of the cam 28.

A feeding trip is provided including a shaft 51 rotatably supported in the plates and 2 and provided intermediate the plates and in line with the gear 25 with a pinion 58 designed to be engaged and driven by the gear 25 when the latter is in operative position. The shaft 51 is also provided with a weight 58 to predetermine the position of the shaft when free of operating restraint. The shaft 51 extends forwardly beyond the plate I and is terminally provided with a pawl 68 in position to cooperate with the teeth 55 of the arm 52.

The pins 26 on the gear 25 cooperate with an actuator 6| which, in turn, operates a signal arm 62 for sounding a signal at each displacement of the actuator 6| by a pin 26 of the gear 25.

In normal position, the parts of the improved mechanism on the rear of the plate 2 are in the position shown in Figure 2 and the parts on the front of the plate I are in the position shown in Figure 4. In this position of the parts, it will be noted that the governing element 2| is held by cooperation of the arm 3| with the pin 28 in a position free of contact with the gear l2.

We will assume that the clock hands are approaching the hour and at a predetermined time in advance of the actual hour indication, the pin 43 on the gear l6 engages beneath the arm 42 of the control element. As the gear l6 revolves, the gear lever is moved upwardly, causing the wall of the recess to engage the pin 5| on the release trip 38 and move the same toward the left in Figure 4.

In the normal position of the parts, the end of the release trip 38 is underlying the end of the rack bar 54 and holding the projection 56 free of the cam 28. As the release trip is moved toward the left, the weight arm 35 is moved upwardly and through engagement with the pin 31, the free end of the arm 3| is moved downwardly, releasing the holding contact with the pin 28 of the governing element 2|.

The parts are so correlated that as the arm 3| has been moved to a full inoperative position, the angular terminal 45 of the arm 44 of the control lever has been moved to a position to underlie the pin 46 on the governing element so that when this element is released by the movement of the arm 3|, the end 45 of the arm 44 will still hold this governing element in inoperative position. That is to say, the parts will then be in the positions indicated in Figures 3 and 5. Of course, this movement of the control lever 4| is caused by the raising of the end of the arm 42 of said lever by the pin 43 of the gear I6.

Immediately following this position, the pin 43 rides from beneath the free end of the arm 42 and the lever 4| swings downwardly. This movement frees the governing element 2| and also permits the weighted arm 35 to be moved under the influence of the weight to a degree sufficient to cause the pointed terminal 48 of the release trip to enter the space between predetermined teeth of the rack bar 54.

As previously stated, when the parts are in normal positions, as indicated in Figure 4, the free end of the release trip 38 underlies the end of the rack bar 54, but as this release trip is displaced in the movement of the lever 4|, the rack bar is permitted to fall until the projection 56 is in contact with the cam. Therefore, this contact determines the position of the rack bar, determines the tooth with which the point 40 of the release trip will engage, and as the cam 20 turns once in twelve hours, it is apparent that this determination of position by the cam is such as to control the number of signals sounded, which of course must be in accordance with the hour indicated.

As the governing element is released, it will swing to a position to cause the gear 25 to be put in driving cooperation with the continuously operated gear I2 and also in mesh with the pinion 58. This signal controlling gear 25 is then operated and simultaneously the shaft 51 of the feeding trip is operated and the trip 60 thereof picks up the teeth of the rack bar in succession, moving the rack bar upwardly, during which the release pawl 39 prevents downward movement of the rack bar and this movement of the trip 60 continues until the release trip rides beneath the lower end of the rack bar, that is, returns to the position indicated in Figure 4. During this movement of the rack bar under the influence of the trip 60, the pins 26 have successively sounded the signal and with the parts properly proportioned and cooperating, the sounding of the signal will agree with the hour indicated.

As the release trip 39 rides beneath the end of the rack bar 54, the further necessary movement of the weight arm is permitted and this movement, in cooperation with the pin 38, swings the lever 30 and thereby moves the arm 3| to contact with the pin 28 of the governing element and swings said element to free the gears I2 and 25 and the gear 25 and pinion 58. The parts are then at rest until at the next hourly period the pin 43 again operates the control lever and the rack bar is permitted to drop to a positon determined by the then position of the cam 20 and expose to the operation of the trip 60 the proper number of teeth for the control of the proper succession of signals.

What is claimed to be new is:

l. A strike controlling mechanism for electric clocks, including a continuously driven gear, a governing element mounted for swinging movement, a strike controlling gear carried by the element and movable with the element into driving cooperation with the continuously operated gear when the element is in operative position and free of such driving cooperation when the element is in inoperative position, a holding lever for maintaing the element in inoperative position, a weight arm for operating the holding lever in both directions, a controlling lever operated in one direction by the clock mechanism and movable by gravity in the opposite direction when free of the clock mechanism, a movable rack bar, a cam operated by the clock mechanism to determine the position of the rack bar in movement in one direction, a release trip connected to the weight arm and normally supporting the rack bar free of the cam, means on the release trip to be engaged by the controlling lever to move the release trip in the operation of the controlling lever by the clock mechanism to move the holding lever to a, position to release the governingelement and free the rack bar for cooperation with the cam, means on the controlling lever for maintaining the governing element in inoperative position immediately succeeding the release of the governing element by the holding lever, said controlling lever on release by the clock mechanism freeing the governing element for movement toward and into driving cooperation with the continuously operated gear, and a pawl operated by the signal controlling gear when in driving cooperation with the continuously operated gear to impart a step by step movement to the rack bar for controlling the time period during wihch the signal controlling gear is operated, the movement of the rack bar to a limit position permitting the release trip to be moved by the weight arm to a position beneath the rack bar, said movement of the release trip causing the weight arm to operate the holding lever to move the governing element to and maintain it in inoperative position.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, Wherein the release trip cooperates with the teeth of the rack bar during pawl operation of such bar to prevent inoperative movement of the rack bar.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein the rack operating pawl is free when the governing element is in inoperative position and a Weight connected to and operating said pawl, when the pawl is free to cause the pawl to be normally maintained in a predetermined relation to the rack.

4. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein the release trip is provided with a pin and wherein one edge of the controlling lever is formed with a recess having the wall thereof movable, in the operation of the control lever by the clock mechanism, to engage said pin to move the release trip.

JosE' ANDRES Y HERNANDEZ. 

